By Matthew Sims
A group of 20 construction graduates have put their skills to the test in Maidstone and constructed a scaled down replica of a cantilever bridge in just eight days.
A joint initiative of Major Road Projects Victoria, BMD Constructions and Arcadis, the Constructionarium Australia – Victorian Build 2022 program saw the participants embark on an intensive three-day bridge build of the bridge, which spanned 25 metres long and 3.7 metres high and used 5 tonnes of steel.
The project involved recent graduates just starting their civil construction careers developing the skills they would need to manage a build from start to finish, including identifying risks and developing strategies to achieve the desired finished product with the support of a range of leading infrastructure industry experts.
Major Road Projects Victoria chief executive Allen Garner said the project would provide the state’s next generation of infrastructure leaders with the tools they need to forge successful careers.
“We’re proud to be giving Victoria’s next generation of construction leaders their best chance of success, fostering their passion for infrastructure with the guidance and expertise of the most successful people in the industry,“ he said.
BMD Constructions graduate contract administrator Padmapriya Natarajan said the program was an “amazing experience“ for her.
“What I loved about the Constructionarium is the details – you get to know all the small bits and details which are happening on site,“ she said.
Arcadis graduate tunnel engineer Mason Duyker said the program was “incredibly rewarding“.
“As a young engineer, you don’t get to go on-site and experience things like this, and it’s great to see from the perspective of a designer,“ he said.
